Acute respiratory distress syndrome

This code represents a severe, life-threatening lung condition characterized by widespread inflammation and fluid accumulation in the alveoli, leading to profound hypoxemia and respiratory failure. It is an acute process, typically developing rapidly in response to an underlying illness or injury.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates acute respiratory distress syndrome in an adult or pediatric patient (excluding newborns). Supporting documentation often includes evidence of severe hypoxemia, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging, and the absence of cardiac failure as the primary cause of pulmonary edema.

• Differentiate carefully from respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn (P22.0), which is an Excludes1 condition.
• Always code the underlying cause of the condition, such as sepsis, pneumonia, or trauma, in addition to this code.
• Ensure documentation specifies "acute" to distinguish from chronic respiratory conditions.